Break
by The-Fantastic-Story-Writer
Summary: Her husband breaks his vows to her over and over. She breaks them only once.
1. It doesn't matter how many breaths,

This is the second of the Olympian challenges I've done. I hope that you guys like it as much as the first!

Italics means that the prompt is used somewhere in the story, underlined is the additions.

This one is for a very dear friend of mine.

**Pairings: **Hera/Percy  
_**Challenge: **Her husband breaks his vows to her over and over. She breaks them only once._  
**Word Prompts: **Overzealous or _Fragmented_  
**Song Prompts: **Lips of Angel by Hinder; _Missing by Evanescence_  
**TV/Book/Movie Prompts: **_Lord of the Rings_ (b)/Harry Potter (b)

* * *

Hera's presence is invoked whenever a proposal is made, along with weddings, childbirth, and who knows what else. That's why she was in a movie theater, watching the Lord of the Rings, and waiting for the shy young man before her to finally propose to his long-term girlfriend. Her pout lips curved into a smile as the young man proposed, before turning her attention to the currently playing movie. The obsessive need to acquire something, she mused. With other Olympians aside from herself, Hestia, and Artemis, she would believe it to be habit. But now, she could no longer deny it to her self. Perseus Jackson was a wonderful young man, loyal to a fault and oh-so wonderfully kind.

And she wanted him. She left the theater, quietly.

Zeus was rarely a good husband. The fragmentation of his vows was a clue. Every time he committed infidelity, her ring would break, and then repair itself. But he had never resorted to blows before. Laying there, a hand pressed to a swollen, reddened cheek, she felt as human as she ever would in her current eternity. She gathered her skirts and fled, bare feet pounding on the ground. She flew past the other gods, tears spilling down her cheeks. She pounded the down button, and shut the door hastily; unaware that she wasn't truly alone.

"Um, Lady Hera?" Percy sounded nervous. She jumped about a mile, and turned to face the Sea God's spawn. She noticed her state of dress and drew her ragged bodice tighter to her own body. Percy flushed faintly, and offered her his jacket. "Is something wrong?" Foamy green eyes looked at her in such warm concern while she wrapped the thick, large coat around her that she couldn't even lie. Percy reached for the emergency stop and shut down the elevator, drawing the goddess closer, wrapping strong arms around her as she began to cry.

For Hera, she sobbed her heart out. Percy held her until she stopped, and turned on the elevator again and pressed the button for the first floor, using his thumbs to wipe her tears away. He led her out of the building and guided her into his car. He started the engine of the vehicle and drove away. Hera never even protested.

Hera had never given much thought to the living situations of the various half-bloods, save for their current cabins, so the sight of such a large, spacious apartment surprised her. Percy grinned at her surprise. "Tea?" The young man asked her, allowing her to keep his jacket as he gently steered her into a small, but well-kept kitchen. "Coffee? Or just some water?" Hera fiddled with her skirt.

"Tea please," She murmured demurely, her head down. Percy tilted her head up, giving her another smile at her slightly miffed look.

"That's much more like it," Percy smiled. Hera was a bit startled to note that his wedding ring still had residence on his finger. Annabeth had broken his heart nearly six years after their marriage. To still wear his ring even after all the horrible things Annabeth had done to him made her wonder. Was she any different? He gave her a bittersweet smile. "Is your husband the problem?" He asked her, pressing a hot cup of peppermint tea into her hand. She nodded mutely. "Hmm. Well then drink that. It'll make you feel better." He began to talk to her about anything and everything, including a few adorable comments about his younger sister Charity. She smiled, allowing his voice to wash away the pain and hurt. Hera felt emboldened, after a night of warm tea and conversation. She thanked him the next morning, and headed back to Olympus.

Hera walked in, watching the gods in the chamber as they turned to face her. With a smile, she stood proudly, her presence utterly surprising to the Olympians privy to her breakdown. She slid her ring off her finger; sure that she now had everyone's attention. Striding forward, she forced her husband's hand open, and placed the delicate metal in his hand.

"Zeus." Her voice was clear and betrayed no sign of her rapidly pounding heart. "I can no longer love you the way I once did," She told him, ignoring his open mouth to trudge onward, "You no longer love me, and I can no longer love you. By the Fates, our marriage is annulled." Hera stepped back. "As I am no longer your wife, I am no longer a goddess. I will never see you again." She turned and began to walk away, her soft brown hair losing ethereal shine, losing height and some of her vitality, leaving her a beautiful, but utterly human twenty-six year old woman. The throne room burst into activity, and Hera didn't look back.

Her ex-husband had broken his vows over and over. Hera broke them only once.

Percy looks a little confused when he sees her back at his apartment. She smiles and reaches him, giving him a warm kiss. Percy looks a little more alarmed than confused now.

"I'm no longer a married woman, Perseus," Hera tells him when he weakly protests her wandering hands. "Now shut up and kiss me."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. It matters how many moments

**Pairings: **Hera/Percy  
**Challenge: **Her husband breaks his vows to her over and over. She breaks them only once.  
**Word Prompts: **Overzealous or Fragmented  
**Song Prompts: **Lips of Angel by Hinder; _Missing by Evanescence_  
**TV/Book/Movie Prompts: **Lord of the Rings (b)/Harry Potter (b)

* * *

To start with, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed! I wasn't expecting much of a response.

Reviewers:  
pjo hoo: I'm glad that you think that it's any good. It's my first PJO story with Hera.  
Leaseablue: I'm glad that you loved it.  
aesir21: I'm adding one more chapter to the story for you.  
Guest: This should explain why for you.  
barclayteo: See the above.  
Hanabifan: I'm pleased that you see it that way.  
x0097-Fuinn: Damn, nice name. But here's your sequel.  
Guest (Another one): See the above.  
hotsformoroni: Nice name. I'm glad that you gave your opinion.  
Guest (Yet _another_ one): It does seem that way. D'awww  
Idle Writer of Crack: Trust me, I enjoyed writing it way, _way _too much myself.  
Gold Testament: I'm assuming you mean the ending?

Notables:

Favorites:  
x0097-Fuinn  
viet girl14  
The Tantalus Complex  
pointblank135  
NikiD1233  
Nightrain97  
McCabeRz  
Leaseablue  
KingJupiter  
InsanityRunsInMyBlood  
Hitthefloorrunning  
Hargreaves19  
Hanabifan  
fallenthantos  
Chunk Li  
Animortal28  
alone shadow dream

Story Alert:  
aesir21  
alone shadow dream  
Animortal128  
Chulalongkorn0818

Now, on with the story!

* * *

Hera drank her cup of tea, watching Percy eat her homemade meal gratefully. His eyes slid shut, a sound of pleasure leaving his lips. Hera flushed faintly, pleased at how much he enjoyed her meals. It was strange, to see how Percy reacted to her cooking. When the meal was finished, Percy insisted gently that he would do the dishes. As he ran the sponge across the ceramic, Percy glanced over his shoulder.

"I thought that you would stay a goddess," Percy confessed softly. Hera smiled sadly, allowing the beautiful young man to refill her cup of tea with soft thanks. Hera shook her head briefly.

"One of the most important terms of my marriage was to stay faithful. As our marriage was sanctioned by the Fates, coupled with my position as the goddess of marriage, I had to give up something. I chose to give up my godhood." Percy's stormy green eyes saddened, when he looked at her again, rinsing off his cup of tea, placing it in the dish drainer. Wiping his hands off on the towel, he settled next to her, taking her free hand in his own. His thumb stroked her hand, affectionately.

"Are you sure you want this?" Percy murmured, tucking away a strand of soft caramel hair. Hera nodded.

"Yes, I do."

* * *

Hera stared blankly at the racks of clothing with an open mouth. Percy stifled giggles.

"Do their mothers know that they're wearing this?" Hera squeaked finally, flushed red. Percy didn't answer, waving her forward with one hand. He hiccupped faintly, and followed her, dutifully carrying all of the clothes she bought as replacements. He coaxed her into buying a pair of pants, and she piled plenty of clothes on top of his arms.

* * *

Nemesis slapped Zeus across the face, after Hera left. The babble of Olympians silenced at her audacity.

"I warned you," She said finally. "Hera was the most faithful goddess of us all, and you ruined it. It has balanced itself out. You broke her heart over and over, and she only needed to do so once." She scowled at the openmouthed expressions on many of the other Olympians. "What do you expect? She found a good person – a good man who would truly love her. And you threw her away one time too many." The Goddess of Revenge and Balance spun on her heel and stalked away. Oh, revenge truly was a dish best served cold.

* * *

Percy stepped out of his shoes, scooping up twin bundles of squealing children. They both took after their mother with soft brown hair, but they had their father's eyes. Charity huffed, running down the hall of the cozy little home they lived in.

"Athena! Poseidon!" She yelled, skidding around the corner. "How many times do I . . . Oh." Charity blushed and waved sheepishly at her half-brother, who stood there, grinning at her, children in his arms, his bag on the floor.

"Go on, tell me what you were going to say," Percy nudged his sister with a small grin. "Come on Cher," He teased, letting the black-haired girl sigh.

"I was telling them not to run away during lunch, no matter how much they hate veggies." She mumbled. Percy laughed, handing the kids over to the blushing teenager. Percy took the box of lunch and called over his shoulder,

"I'm going to give Hera her lunch, be right back!"

* * *

Hera dismissed her little terrors for recess, keeping a warm eye on the giggling masses of children. A pair of affectionate, callused hands covered her eyes. "Percy," She greeted, smiling at her husband. "What brings you here?" Percy lifted up her lunch.

"I brought you lunch honey." He informed her with a grin.

"_Honey-soaked stories,  
Holding cherished memories,  
Nothing is sweeter,_"

A familiar voice recited. Percy and Hera shared amused smiles at each other.

"Fred," Percy drawled, looking at the Sun God in amusement. "You've gotten better." Apollo beamed, sitting next to them.

"Why thank you!" He chirped. "Hey, this is from Hestia and the rest of us, as a happy 10th anniversary." Apollo handed them a beautiful photo, as well as . . .

". . . summer tickets to Bermuda?" Percy asked, amused. Apollo blushed.

"Um, that was from Calypso. She wanted you two to see her new garden." Hera and Percy looked at each other.

"Well?" Percy asked his wife. Hera smiled prettily.

"Always."

* * *

"_In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away."_ _Shing Xiong_


End file.
